Manicure aid



Dec. 17, 1968 SHOCK 3,416,542

MANICURE AID Filed June 16. 1966 FIG. I

INVENTOR ALVIN L. SHOOK Bar Pm ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,416,542 MANICURE AID Alvin Lee Shook, 301 S. Pearl St., Salem, lll.

Filed June 16, 1966, Ser. No. 558,111 4 Claims. (Cl. 132-733) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention pertains to a device useful in keeping apart a persons fingers or fingertips. The device is of particular value in manicuring the fingernails.

In manicuring the fingers, or at least the fingertips, need to be kept somewhat apart for a variety of reasons. In cutting the cuticle, for example, usually one finger at a time is soaked in a softening liquid, for example, hot water, and the cuticle is then cut with a sharp instrument, such as a knife. To insure that slippage of the cutting instrument will not endanger the adjacent fingers, the manicurist will space the adjacent fingers widely apart, often putting these fingers into an uncomfortable position. Also, a professional manicurist may often use one of her hands to hold apart the fingers of her client thereby being forced to use just one of her hands-sometimes the less adroit hand, e.g., her left handfor the cutting operation.

Also, when the fingernails are polished it is necessary to keep the fingertips apart while the polish is drying to avoid smudging the polish.

This invention is a novel device designed to keep the fingers or at least the fingertips separated. It is lightweight, comfortable and portable, so that no inconvenience or discomfort is experienced by the user who wears it during cuticle treatment and/or while waiting for nail polish to dry. The invention comprises four more-or-less identical spools, slidingly mounted on a cord-like support and having means for attachment to the end fingers, that is, the thumb and the pinky. Advantageously the cord-like support is elastic for added comfort and the attaching means for the end fingers are loops. These loops may be lateral extensions of the cord-like support, fastened to the underside of the end spools. The end spools or all the spools may be provided with feet to help elevate the fingers or fingertips of the user from the surface on which the hand rests.

The invention will be better understood from a consideration of the attached drawing, which is to be considered illustrative only and not limiting and in which FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the device on the hand of a user;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the device, and

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view along the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

The device of this invention comprises the spools 11, 13, 15 and 18, each of which is advantageously round in cross-section. Each spool comprises a relatively slender mid-section 20 with enlarged top 22 and bottom 25 sec- 3,416,542 Patented Dec. 17, 1968 ice tions. Advantageously, each mid-section 20 is joined to the top and bottom sections by the tapering portion 28. It will be noted from FIGURE 1 that the slender mid-sections 20 have about the length of the thickness of a finger providing for rather snug, but not tight, enclosure of a finger in the space 30 between spools.

The spools 11, 13, 15 and 18 are mounted on the cordlike support 33 which advantageously passes through holes 35 in the upper sections 22 of each spool. As can be seen from the drawings, these upper sections 22 are somewhat vertically elongated to provide space for the cord passage. Thus the spools are slidable along the length of the cord 33 to provide for differences in the thickness of various fingers on one hand and/or to make the device usable with people having a great variety of finger dimensions. By providing cord 33 of a stretchable material, this adaptability of the device and the comfort of the user is further enhanced.

As shown, the cord 33 preferably has the lateral extensions 36 and 39 which form loops by attachment to the bottom sections of spools 18 and 11 respectively. As can be seen from FIGURES 2 and 3, the bottom sections 25 of spools 11 and 18 may be provided with the feet 42 and 44. These feet aid in keeping the hand and/ or the fingers off the manicuring surface, etc.

Although shown in FIGURE 1 as being at the junction of the fingers of the hand 50 of a user, it is apparent that the device can be worn closer to the fingertips, e.g., at the first knuckle of each finger. For purposes of durability, comfort and smart appearance, the spools advantageously are made from molded synthetic resin, for example transparent acrylic plastic, and may be machined for smoothness if desired. For manufacturing and assembly ease, the four spools may be substantially identical.

Having thus explained my invention, what is claimed is:

1. A manicure aid for holding apart a persons fingers which comprises four spools having relatively slender mid-sections and enlarged upper and lower portions defining, between adjacent spools, spaces for a persons fingers, said spools being slidably mounted at their top on a cord-like support, which support is laterally extended beyond the top of the end spools, the lateral extensions being attached to the bottom of each end spool to form loops for said persons thumb and pinky.

2. The device of claim 1.in which the cord-like support is elastic.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the end spools are provided with feet on their underside.

4. The device of claim 3 in which said feet are provided with slots engaging the ends of said lateral extensions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1949 Baltor. 5/1952 Christopoulos 13273 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,095,213 12/1954 France. 

